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Knight Monsters Bite Back in Game 3, Defeat Everblades 6-2

Saturday, February 22nd
Knight Monsters Bite Back in Game 3, Defeat Everblades 6-2
Postgame recap presented by AleWorX Stateline
 
For a Tahoe squad that had lost four games in a row entering game three against the Florida Everblades, a bounce back victory was needed in the series finale.
 
And the Knight Monsters delivered, riding strong special teams and a dominant second period to a 6-2 victory in Florida, providing a positive bookend to a two-week road trip. Bear Hughes scored twice, Isaac Johnson notched three points, and Jesper Vikman was stellar in net to drive Tahoe to victory and snap their four-game losing streak. 
 
They wasted no time in the first period to get on the board with a Patrick Newell power play goal set up by Isaac Johnson. It was Newell’s first goal since 12/27, and Tahoe’s first power play goal of the series.
 
Vikman locked things down from there in the first, making some fantastic saves and keeping the Florida offense at bay. And the buzzer sounded on Tahoe’s first lead to end a period throughout the entire set.
 
And then the Knight Monsters erupted in the second.
 
They scored three goals, including another on the power play, and consistently set up high danger chances in transition. One of those chances came just over a minute in, and Bear Hughes finished it to increase Tahoe’s lead to 2-0.
 
That tally gave Tahoe their first multi-goal lead since game two of their series against Adirondack, and it was all the more important coming against Florida’s tight defense. 
 
While Florida cut their deficit in half a few minutes later, the Knight Monsters were able to respond quickly by stringing multiple strong shifts together. And seven minutes later, Logan Nelson took a breakaway down the ice and scored to make it 3-1.
 
Bear Hughes scored his second of the game after Florida was assessed a major penalty to extend the lead to three goals, and the period ended with Tahoe holding a 4-1 lead.
 
In the third, Jesper Vikman took over, making 12 of 13 saves and killing off three Florida power plays. He consistently made multiple highlight reel saves in a row and looked poised and confident throughout the contest. 
 
Tarun Fizer made it 4-2 late in the frame, but Luke Adam sealed the deal with an empty netter. And Jordan Henderson put the final cherry on top with a power play strike with less than a minute to go, his first goal in his ECHL career.
 
This game was a sharp top-to-bottom effort for the Knight Monsters, who finished a roller coaster ride of a road trip with a 2-4 record. And while dropping two of three in back-to-back series may not sound ideal, Tahoe hung in against two high quality teams while battling through some key injuries.
 
Florida is the best team in the ECHL, and the Knight Monsters were right there with them throughout the entire series. As we get into the final stretch of the season and the playoff push, resilient wins like this one are the blueprint for success.
 
Tahoe returns home to start a six-game homestand with sets upcoming against the Allen Americans and the Rapid City Rush, two teams they have had success against this season. It's an opportunity to bank some more points and have some consistent play as we head into March. 
 

Game one against the Allen Americans is on Friday, February 28, with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 pm. Khalin Kapoor will be on the call on the Knight Monsters Broadcast Network and FloHockey.TV. And, after every Knight Monsters home game check out a postgame party at AleWorX Stateline for wood-fired pizza, self-serve beer, and great scenery.

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